ISLAMABAD – Out of all the cities in Punjab, Lahore saw the highest number of child rape cases in 2016-17, says report submitted to the National Assembly’s committee on Human Rights on Saturday.

According to the report prepared by Punjab’s additional chief secretary and additional inspector general, the provincial capital saw 107 cases of child rape while the highest number of child abuse cases was reported in 2017.

In two years, 1,297 cases of child rape were reported in Punjab; out of these, 66 cases were reported in Kasur, 38 in Sheikhupura, 50 in Khushab.

Out of the total number, 252 were cases of sexual assault against girls while 1,045 were cases of sexual assault against boys.

At least 43 children were murdered after being subjected to sexual assault in Punjab; out of these, three children were murdered in Lahore, the report added.

In response to the reports of sexual assault, police arrested 1,446 suspects. However, only 21 were sentenced and 166 suspects were set free due to lack of evidence against them.

This report was submitted in the wake of increasing number of child rape reports that have come to light after 6-year-old Zainab’s body was found from a heap trash on Jan 9. The girl was kidnapped from her neighbourhood on Jan 4. She was raped and later murdered.